[UK] Payroll clerk jailed following £350k computer ‘glitch’ theft

In the UK, a Wednesbury payroll clerk who used a computer glitch to steal £350,000 and enjoy a lavish lifestyle, has been jailed, BBC News reports.

Harminder Gill (27) spent the money he stole on holidays, fine dining and executive car hire, police revealed.

The defendant worked for a north Warwickshire firm. He had reportedly believed that a system glitch masked his thefts, however, an audit uncovered his actions.

Mr Gill, from Wednesbury, had pleaded guilty to fraud at an earlier hearing at Warwick Crown Court.

Following his arrest, Warwickshire Police said they had found six accounts set up in both his and a family member's name, allowing him to live a lavish life.

Mr Gill began transferring thousands of pounds at a time with the biggest single amount totalling £36,000. He was jailed for four-and-a-half years

He admitted making a total of 181 transactions between May 2019 and October 2021, police said.

The money was reportedly used for a £40,000 family holiday to Ibiza plus regular bookings for himself and friends at the Shard in London and a further £36,000 on hiring executive cars.

His fraudulent activities were uncovered when a member of staff prompted the audit after noticing they had not been paid, Warwickshire Police stated.

Detective Constable Kevin Usher said, "Gill was brazenly stealing this money from his employer and used it to portray an image of wealth to everyone who knew him. The reality couldn't have been further from the truth.

"He started off small, but like many offenders like this he became greedy."

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) reportedly said Mr Gill had abused his position of trust.

"His offending continued for a period of two years and his actions show that he deliberately diverted transactions to his own accounts and those of his family members without their knowledge or consent." Tejinder Sandhu from the CPS said.

"Mr Gill has now received a sentence that reflects the seriousness of his offending."

Source: BBC News

(Quotes via original reporting)

In the UK, a Wednesbury payroll clerk who used a computer glitch to steal £350,000 and enjoy a lavish lifestyle, has been jailed, BBC News reports.

Harminder Gill (27) spent the money he stole on holidays, fine dining and executive car hire, police revealed.

The defendant worked for a north Warwickshire firm. He had reportedly believed that a system glitch masked his thefts, however, an audit uncovered his actions.

Mr Gill, from Wednesbury, had pleaded guilty to fraud at an earlier hearing at Warwick Crown Court.

Following his arrest, Warwickshire Police said they had found six accounts set up in both his and a family member's name, allowing him to live a lavish life.

Mr Gill began transferring thousands of pounds at a time with the biggest single amount totalling £36,000. He was jailed for four-and-a-half years

He admitted making a total of 181 transactions between May 2019 and October 2021, police said.

The money was reportedly used for a £40,000 family holiday to Ibiza plus regular bookings for himself and friends at the Shard in London and a further £36,000 on hiring executive cars.

His fraudulent activities were uncovered when a member of staff prompted the audit after noticing they had not been paid, Warwickshire Police stated.

Detective Constable Kevin Usher said, "Gill was brazenly stealing this money from his employer and used it to portray an image of wealth to everyone who knew him. The reality couldn't have been further from the truth.

"He started off small, but like many offenders like this he became greedy."

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) reportedly said Mr Gill had abused his position of trust.

"His offending continued for a period of two years and his actions show that he deliberately diverted transactions to his own accounts and those of his family members without their knowledge or consent." Tejinder Sandhu from the CPS said.

"Mr Gill has now received a sentence that reflects the seriousness of his offending."

Source: BBC News

(Quotes via original reporting)